Javier Baños
Baños is the Editor of Gables Insider
On August 1, 2024, the Coral Gables City Commission voted 4-1 to maintain the current millage rate, which has remained unchanged since 2016. The decision came after a lengthy debate and was sponsored by Vice Mayor Anderson’s motion. The only request for a reduction—a 1% decrease in the millage rate—was proposed by Mayor Lago, who cast the lone dissenting vote. The 1% reduction failed to pass, dying in a 3-2 vote along the now usual commission split.
The commission’s decision followed weeks of discussions focused on the impact of any potential tax cut. Commissioners expressed concern that reducing the millage rate would primarily benefit developers and commercial property owners rather than the average resident. They feared that a blanket reduction would unfairly shift the tax burden and provide significant savings to large projects, while homeowners might see only marginal relief.
Mayor Lago, who has been vocal in his support for a tax cut, sent an email to residents yesterday, August 6, 2024, framing his colleagues as being against a tax reduction. However, this portrayal does not accurately reflect the nature of the debate. The discussion centered around ensuring that any financial relief would be equitably distributed, focusing on residential taxpayers rather than commercial entities.
The recent developments cast a political tint over the entire affair, suggesting that the push for a tax cut might have been more about political maneuvering than a genuine effort to lower taxes. Mayor Lago’s proposal and subsequent email could be seen as an attempt to position himself as a champion of taxpayers, even as the broader implications of the tax cut were being scrutinized by other commissioners.
It seems that the election campaign already started in earnest.
Citizen, i agree with your statement but if i may add many of these individuals receive all types of government assistance such as food stamps, housing vouchers, disability income, medicaid, social security, etc. Anyone who is renting and can afford to purchase property should do so as it will benefit them 100% if this matter becomes FL law in 2025.
Replacing property taxes with sales taxes moves the burden from homeowners, who are largely better off, to lower income people who spend all their money to survive.
Lago has been showing his true self for years!
His only mission is to help DEVELOPERS – not RESIDENTS!
Lago has to go!!
There exist a current already approved attempt by an FL legislator to remove all property taxes in the state effective 2025 in exchange for a higher sales tax. A study is in process to determine the exact amount of sales tax increase necessary to cover the shortfall. A similar attempt was made many yrs ago by citizen Marco Rubio only to die @ FL’s Supreme Court.